Lesson 3: Free Will And Determinism Flashcards
Free Will
- notion of free will suggests that as human beings we are essentially self-determine and able to choose our thoughts and actions. The humanistic approach considers people to have free will.
Determinism
- general idea that our traits and behaviours are outside of our control, due to factors, either internal or external, over which we have no control.
Hard determinism
- proposes that all of a person’s traits and behaviours are entirely out of the individuals control. Human behaviour has a cause and so it should be possible to identify these causes. Such an idea is compatible with the aims of science (to uncover the causal laws that govern people’s thoughts and actions). Hard determinism assumes that everything we think and feel and so is dictated by forces that we cannot control, and might not even be aware of.
Soft determinism
- proposes that traits and behaviours are determined by external or internal forces but that an id visual can still exercise some control via thought processes. The cognitive approach adheres to soft determinism.
Scientific emphasis on causal explanations
- science is heavily deterministic in its search for causal relationships as it seeks to discover whether this independent variable (cause) leads to changes in the dependent variable (effect). If all variables are controlled except for the independent variable, this means that changes in the dependent variable must be cause by the manipulations of the independent variable. Having a control group enables researchers to determine cause and effect, the goal is to be able to predict and control human behaviour.
Types of hard determinism
Biological determinism, environmental determinism, psychic determinism
Biological determinism
- biological approach argues that all of our traits and behaviours are governed by internal biological factors, like genes, neurochemistry, brain structure etc. there is no doubt that many of our physiological and neurologically brain processes are not under conscious control - such as the autonomic nervous system during periods of stress and anxiety. In addition, lots of behaviours, characteristics are thought to have a genetic basis and research has demonstrated the effect of hormones in aggressive behaviour.
Environmental determinism
- idea that traits and behaviours are governed by external forces, such as experiences, upbringing, learning, schools, parents, peers etc. the behavioural approach holds that our experience of ‘choice’ is merely the sum total of reinforcement contingencies that have acted upon us throughout our lives. Although we might think we are acting independently, our behaviour has been shaped by environmental events as well as agents of socialisation.
Psychic determinism
- the idea that traits and behaviours are governed by unconscious instincts and drives. The psychodynamic approach sees human behaviour as determined and directed by unconscious conflicts, repressed in childhood. There is no such things as an accident, according to Freud and even something as seemingly random as an innocuous ‘slip of the tongue’ can be explained as being caused by the unconscious.
Strengths of determinism
+ Chun Siong Soon et al (2008) have demonstrated that the brain activity that determines simple choices occurs before we are even aware that we have made a choice. Participants were asked to decide whether to push a button with their left or right hand; brain imaging revealed that they made their decision up to ten seconds before reporting that they were consciously aware of making a decision.
+ determinism is fundamental to the scientific focus on investigating causes of behaviour and being able to predict behaviour.
+ the prediction and control of human behaviour has led to the development of treatments, therapies and behavioural interventions that have benefitted many people. For instance, psychotherapeutic drug treatment in managing schizophrenia. Disorders like schizophrenia cast doubt on the concept of free will as no one would choose to have schizophrenia.
Weaknesses of determinism
- The idea of free will has more face validity than determinism. Everyday experience gives people the impression that they are constantly exercising free will through the choices they make on any given day.
- People with an internal locus of control, who believe they have a high degree of control over their behaviour and their life, are more mentally healthy. Robert’s et al (2000) demonstrated that adolescents who had a strong belief that their lives were determined by events outside of their control were at higher risk of developing depression. Thinking we have free will has a positive impact on our mind and behaviour.
